Helicopter



Juiy 1, 1936. J. P. BUCKLEY HELTGOPTEB Filed April 50, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 %G1Qum Invenlor mamas lady 1, 3930. J. P. BUICKLEY HELICOPTER 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed April 30, 192E lnvenior July 1, 1930. J. P. BUCKLEY HELICOPTER Filed April 30, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 w w z a M w A m r 3///////////////////// .E////.////////////// 7 ///7 Pro. 4.

In ventor lPatmted July 1, 1930 were PATENT OFFICE- J'OHN' P. BUCKLE-Y, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT. OF' COLUMBIA.

HELICOPTER Application filed April 30,

This invention relates toaerial carriers of the helicopter type and has for its novel fea ture the means of being controlled from the ground by a connecting cable composed of insulated wires through which electrical energy is im arted to the several parts composing the w ole.

The main object of the device is to direct one or more shells upwardly against a falling bomb as might be dropped from an airplane over a fort or battleship.

A further object is to provide suitable controllin means on; the ground for explodingt e shells coincidentally with the falling bomb and thus either cause the bomb to explode prematurely or to be directed from its intended target.

Still another objectis to provide one or more small steering propellers for swiftly directing the whole to a newposition as a descending bomb might indicate.

Other features might be cited such as, for instance, elevating an observer for observation urposesin this particular case a parachute, not shown, is attached to the head immediately above the propeller for safety means; a camera, also, may be employed and operated at a height advantageously, smoke bombs, too, may be set off from a high elevation as to make them more effective, and a most effective radio system at an unusually high elevation may be' obtained. v

The antenna of the sending and receiving sets may swing from the lower stem while the metallic structure of the device may answer for a ground, or a screened ground wire may be directed to the earth. through the cable if desired.

While I have shown the controlling and operating means fast to. the ground as it would appear. in a fort or on a battleship,-

such, means may be suitably housed on a small truck as a fixture and transported to various points. 1 7

With these-and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction,

" arrangement and formation of parts as will be hereinafter more specifically described,

1929. Serial 170. 359,290.

claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the improved a paratus, showing in assembly form the li ting propeller, motor, shells, and steering propellers? Fig. 2 shows the funnel,and neck of same,

through which the cable passes to the drum and'thence' to the control panel.

Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram.

Fig. 4 is a modified form of the invention showing an explosive shell and the manner in which it-is projected through the air, as well as the trailing antenna and the firing means thereto attached.

* Fig. 5 illustrates the shell paralleling a bomb and the full length of the antenna as they would appear in fiight.

Fig. 6 shows a tuned radio circuit which may be used instead of the single transformer asshown.

v Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters'desigmate corresponding parts throughout the several views the numeral 1, designates the lower stem, having an outlet 2, and a taper pin 3, at its upper end for the purpose of being made fast to the hub 4, of casting-5.-

Outwardly protruding from the casting and forming a part of it are hubs 6, 7, 8 and 9, through which the armature shafts 10, 11,12 and 13, of motors 14, 15, 16 and 17, are journalled and by which means the fixed propellers 18, 19, 20 and 21, are carried by the said shaft and are made to re and38, is the motor 39, having an armature 40, with a cylindrical shaft 41, to which the lifting propeller 42 is rigidly attached and through which cylindrical shaft the stem passes on up to the head 43. Fixed to the head is the cradle 44,'for supporting the topliii most shell 45, or when the device is used for observation purposes, a parachute may ap- The armature 40 is held within the magnetic field by collar 46, having pin 47 and the motor casing as at point48.

Electrically connecting the motors 14,15, 16 and 17 and the shells 35 and 36, is cable 49, as shown passing through outlet 2, sheet 1, and through funnel '50, sheet 2, thence through the neck 50 and thence around the drum 51, from which the end of the cable is led from, coil 52, to the panel 53, where the proper distribution of the various leads termmate'to their respective switches or controls, as for instance, the double-pole switch 54 controls the motor 55, through circuit 56, wh ch in turn controls the movement of the drum. The switch 57, together with the variable resistance 58, of circuit 59, controls the propeller motor 39, while the switches 60," 61, 62 and 63 of circuits 64, 65, 66 and 67 energizes the motors 14, 15, 16 and 17,

' properly connected in the diagram,

leaving in this instance, the switch 68 of circu1t 69, having fuse wire 69", for exploding the shells 35, 36, and 45.

The main feed wires v Fig. 3.

4 The standards 72, fixed to the base 73, supports and j'ournals' the drum shaft 74, the outer endof which is provided with a gear 7 5, as might mesh with the worm gear 76, on shaftof motor 77.

Leading up from the standards is the supporting frame 78 for the funnel 50.

In practice the apparatus is normally at rest in the funnel, the neck of which serves go steady and support it in a vertical posi- 1on.

On receiving a signal for flightv the operator closes the switch '54, of circuit 56 and (ill parallel each other, the switch 68 is closed through means of the rheostat 58, of circuit 59, regulates the current through the motor 39 up to its flight Speed.

At this instant, the switch 57 is closed.

This action feeds the cable from the coil 52 to the drum and thereby lengthens the cable between the drum and apparatus as the apparatus ascends to its height.

Having attained such height the operator may steady the apparatus or cause it to dart in an direction by closing either one of the switc es 60, 61, 62, and 63. If a sudden dart to the right is desired, the lefthand motor 14 is'energized, or .if a course is wanted the two motors 14' and 15, are switched into circuit. 9

These movements cause the apparatus to move from a 'vertical position to a position as would indicatean-alignment with a falling bomb, at which instant, as the two bodies and the shells through fuse wire 69 is exploded-the resultant force of the explosion will elther explode the bomb in mid-air or 70 and 71 are shown redirect its course away from the spot for which it was intended, as would appear in the saving of a battleship, fort, large guns and the like.

I do not confine myself to the use of an electric motor for the propulsion of the lifting propeller as any other form of power might be used advantageously, such as compressed air or gas, all of which may be con-,

vided with means whereby the shell may be exploded when desired. In this instance, the shell is fired when in close touch with the falling bomb, as depicted in Fig. 5.

It consists essentially of the antenna 79, the upper end of which is held tight and passed through the insulation 80, and thence to a suitably designed transformer 81, the terminals 82 of the primary coil 83 being grounded to the shell, as shown. The secondary coil 85, inductively coupled to the primary coil has the closed circuit 86, a part of which circuit passes through the insulation block 87 to the powder chamber 88; the fuse wire 89 bridging across the secondary wires as at point 90.

On receiving the requlred amount of curgree as will instantly burn the fuse wire and through such burning out of thesaid fuse wire the shell is made to explode.

Other kind of circuits may be usedfor receiving the electrical energy from the station such as a tuned circuit 91, as shown in Fig. 7, the fuse wire 92, showing in the plate circuit 93.

In firing the gun to roject the shell I have provided the loose isc 94, as a protection from the powder blast 95, when ignited.

I claim- 1. In an apparatus described, the combination ofa supporting stem, an'electric motor attached thereto, an armature free to revolve around said stem and having a lifting propeller at one of its ends, brackets fixed to the stem for supporting one or more explosive shells, steering propellers disposed around the stem, the driving motors of which may be separately or wholly energized, a cable carrying electric wires to the various motors, a funnel guide for .the cable, a drum for controlling the upward and downward movements of the cable and means for electrically operating and controlling the apparatus when in flight.

2. The combination of a supporting stem, a llftlng propeller, means for operating and controlling the propelling power of said lifting propeller, explosive shells carried by saidsupporting stem, means for firing said explosive shells, steering means carried by the stem, means for operating and controlling the power of said steering means, a

cable for transmitting electrical energy to the various actuating members, and means for controlling their movements during flight of the apparatus.

' the Various motors supported 3. In an apparatus described, the combination of an electric motor the frame of which is fixed to a stem, an armature free to revolve around said stem and having a propeller fixed to one of its ends, brackets fixed to the stem for supporting explosive shells, steering propellers disposed around the stem whose driving motors may beseparately or wholly r energized, a cable carrying electric wires to the stem, a funnel guide for the cable to means for electrically operating and controlling the drum and apparatus when in flight.

,4. The combination of a supporting frame, an electric motor having an armature with a cylindrical shaft, a propeller rigidly at tached to said shaft, means for energizing said motor from a remote control, explosive shells supported by the frame, means for firing the shells from 'a remote point, steering propellers for changin the position of y the apparatus when desire means for providing and controlling the driving power of said propellers and means for housing the whole when at rest.

5. The combination of an explosive shell, powder chamber, a second chamber isolated from the first chamber by a artition carrying an insulated block throng which a part of a circuit mayenter to the first chamber, radio receiving means, an antenna electrically insulated from the shell and connected to the radio means, a recess in the abuttment of the shell for housing the antenna, and means remotely controlled for firing the shell.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. JOHN P. BUCKLEY..

l t e drum and p 

